At age 75, rest assured that drummer Louie Bellson has not lost his touch. His gifts today remain as strong as ever, and he can still power a big band or groove with a small combo with his characteristic technique, style, and seeming ease. He is, in fact, a consummate musician, one whom Duke Ellington described as “not only the world’s greatest drummer, but also the world’s greatest musician.”
“Duke was being over-generous when he made that statement,” said Bellson from his home in California. “I’m embarrassed by it. Just to have Duke play something that I wrote is enough praise for me.”